The invention is generally related to a chassis for an electronic device. More specifically, the invention is generally related to a specially designed latching mechanism for an access door mountable in an opening in an exterior housing or chassis of a computer related or other electronic device.
Many computer related devices generally include a chassis with a number of individual components mounted therein and connected to one another by wires, cables, brackets, nuts, bolts and the like. Commonly, such computer related internal components include printed circuit boards, hard disk drives, optical disk drives, floppy disk drives, tape drives, memory cards, fax/modem devices and the like. The chassis typically includes a housing often formed of sheet metal and/or molded plastic material and is provided with access openings to afford users access to the devices within the housing or chassis. Housing openings of this sort are typically provided with an access door or similar structure to selectively block and expose the access opening.
The frequent insertion and removal of modular components, printed circuit boards and the like from computer related or electronic devices is very common. The removability of computer components allows for better overall serviceability of the computer system and is a distinct advantage to both the user and the maintenance technician. Modular components and connectors facilitate prompt replacement and convenient reconfiguration of the computer related or electronic device to meet changing service requirements and demands.
Various types of access door structures have previously been utilized on computers and similar types of electronic devices. One such prior art design involves the use of screws or bolts that engage openings in the door and corresponding openings in the computer chassis. Use of screws, bolts or other mechanical fasteners means that a screw driver, wrench or other tool is required to remove the door and access the internal components of the computer or electronic device. The process of removing and replacing multiple screws, bolts or other fasteners takes a significant amount of time. Furthermore, screws, bolts and mechanical fasteners are not desirable as they are difficult to manipulate and they require a tool for installation and removal. Further, screws, bolts and other mechanical fasteners can be easily lost or misplaced during the removal and replacement of the access door.
Another prior design that has been utilized to secure a door on a chassis of a computer related or electronic device is the use of plastic push-pull plunger-type fasteners. The use of fasteners of this type likewise requires painstaking effort by the service technician or computer user to individually secure and remove the fasteners, with or without a tool, each time the door is opened or closed. Further, fasteners of this type present additional problems. For example, many computer or electronic related devices have an electromagnetic conductive (EMC) gasket or seal surrounding the access opening. When the door is closed, the EMC seal or gasket provides a barrier between the outside environment and the internal computer components. The access door must be well grounded to the chassis with a continuous conductive seal between the door and the chassis along the perimeter of the access opening. The EMC seal or gasket is often compressible to provide an effective EMC barrier when the door is closed. Therefore, the seal is compressed between the door and the chassis in the closed configuration. The compression forces of the gasket or seal often overcome the plastic push-pull plunger-type fasteners thereby dislodging them and/or the door. Furthermore, it is often difficult for a user to effectively close the door tightly against the chassis and seal with the door drawn uptight against the chassis and seal prior to installing or engaging the push-pull plunger-type fasteners. As a result, the use of fasteners of this type is very difficult, time consuming and often ineffective to reliably close the access door and establish an EMC barrier.
Therefore, in view of these and other problems associated with known types of access door structures, there is a need for an access door that can be selectively opened and closed, and that is easy to operate and effectively secure in a closed position even when the EMC seal or gasket is in place. Further, the door design and closure mechanism is preferably inexpensive to manufacture and capable of being efficiently and effectively utilized by a user or service technician.
This invention meets and exceeds the above-described and other needs by providing a latching mechanism for access doors on computer related and other electronic devices and an associated method for opening and closing the access doors. In a present embodiment of this invention, a chassis for a computer related or electronic device includes a housing and an access opening in the housing through which access to the interior components is available for a user or service technician. A door is mounted to the housing for movement to and between closed and open positions in which the door inhibits access through the access opening when in the closed position and permits access to the access opening when in the open position. A latch releasably secures the door in the closed position and is operable by a user or service technician for opening the door from the closed position and closing the door from the open position without the benefit of a screwdriver, wrench or other tool. Further, the latch mechanism requires no positive latching action or manipulation by the user when closing the door. The user simply pulls or pushes on the grip to open and close the door. In one embodiment, a hinge pivotally couples the door to the housing and the latch is mounted on an opposite edge of the door from the hinge. The door includes a grip to be grasped by a user or service technician for selectively opening and closing the door.
When the computer related device includes a compressible seal or gasket surrounding the opening, the latch according to one embodiment of this invention advantageously is biased by a spring or other mechanism to account for the compression reaction forces produced by the seal or gasket. The spring or otherwise biased latch cooperates with a catch on the housing to positively secure the door in the closed position and overcome the compression reaction forces of the seal or gasket.
As a result, this invention overcomes the above described problems by providing convenient access to the inner components of a computer related or electronic device without the need for tools or other complicated systems. For ease of access, the user or service technician removes the door without having to use a tool such as a screwdriver or wrench. The user simply pulls on the handle. There are no fasteners that must be individually engaged or disengaged to operate the door.
These and other advantages and features which characterize the invention, are set forth in the claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, and of the advantages and objectives attained through its use, reference should be made to the drawings, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which they are described exemplary embodiments of the invention.